Lying Latent
by green-rave
Summary: An uncorrupted witch enrolls at the DWMA and tries to fight the stigma her kind faces. Not Kid/Stein, sorry. O.C./Kid, O.C./Stein. So I broke down and wrote a story with an original character. I usually can't stand OCs, but I was so proud of this, and I see enough people doing it that I feel like no one will mind. Rated M for now because I think I know where it'll go.
1. Chapter 1

My mother is a weapon. She studied at the Academy, but she never found a partner she could resonate with, because she has severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. Growing up around her caused me to inherit some of the disorder, though I don't quite have it to as crippling of a degree as she does. That's all I got from her. I ended up with mostly my dad's DNA. I have his face, or so everyone tells me. I also inherited his metabolism, something many of my friends are jealous of.

My father is a human, which is partially why I don't have an entirely weapon soul. My soul has some traces of weapon in it, but something else overpowered it. Any human who chooses to have a child plays a game of odds, and my parents lost. A witch can be born to anyone with a weak human soul. Meisters' and weapons' souls are stronger, so they win the battle over witch-hood every time. Humans are weaker, though. I don't really understand why I wasn't born with a weapon's soul, like my mother, but perhaps since I had so much more in common with my father, his soul wavelength could bond to my body more easily.

All through my mother's pregnancy my father could sense that something was wrong. For a human, he has an uncanny ability to perceive souls. Only three months into the pregnancy, he knew what was growing inside my mother's womb. Fearing that Lord Death would take action to rid my parents of the burden I would be, they ran from Death City, fleeing to a small village about twenty miles from the city. Maybe they didn't go far enough, but their only concern was getting out of the city and finding a new home as quickly as possible.

My life was very carefully supervised by my parents. I was rarely allowed to play with any children unless my father's soul perception deemed them weak enough to not notice what I was. Mostly I survived my childhood without incident. Eventually though, my soul started asserting itself, and my true nature began to emerge. Many witches begin to show signs of what they are at a very young age, usually at three or four years old. It wasn't until I was ten that I started changing. I blame that on my diluted soul.

Kudos to my mom for teaching me spells without actually knowing anything about magic. She taught me how to use the spell Soul Protect. I remember the lesson clearly. She said to search inside myself for my soul. When I told her I found it, she asked me to see if I could find a way to cover it up. She said to imagine throwing a blanket over it, sweeping it under the carpet, or locking it away in a box. The last one worked, and I learned Soul Protect. She told me to never, ever let my witch's soul out of its box.

After that, my weapon's soul became stronger, and I learned that with great concentration I could turn into a sturdy, two-handed sword. Armed with this information, my mother took me back to Death City, where I enrolled in the Death Weapon Meister Academy. My mom thought her plan was foolproof; I, a hidden witch, would learn to be a weapon, and never have to reveal my nature. She had dreams that I would become a Death-Scythe. Those dreams would turn out to be impossible, though. After all, the strongest part of my soul was locked away in a box, and if my soul was hidden, I would never be able to resonate with anyone.

To compensate for my incompetence as a weapon, I threw myself into my studies. I was a very smart child, and my introverted nature allowed me much free time to study. But I couldn't stay hidden forever. About a month into my first year at the Academy, I became very close friends with the one student I should have stayed as far away from as possible; Death the Kid.

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**A.N. If you hate reading OCs, please tell me. If enough of you complain I'll refrain from posting any other chapters.**


	2. Chapter 2

Kid and I hit it off almost immediately. I noticed his aversion to all things asymmetrical, and though he waved me off whenever I brought it up, I think he liked that I understood him. His other friends just got irritated with him when he had his panic attacks, but I knew how to handle them. I did my best to fix the situation when I could, and if it was something I couldn't make symmetrical, I just steered him away and distracted him for long enough for him to forget about it. I was always good at handling his freak-outs. At least I was for a while.

He invited me over for dinner the day we met, and after that night I never left. I had been living at my parents' house and taking the train in, but living in the city itself was much more convenient. That first night I slept on the couch in Kid's living room. He didn't have a guest room for me. Eventually though, we just started to share his bed. It became out habit without us even noticing, and suddenly we had fallen deeply in love, and everyone at the Academy knew it.

I was halfway to unconsciousness one night when I suddenly felt warm breath on my ear.

"Are you awake?" Kid asked.

"Yeah," I said, half turning to face him.

He wrapped his arms around my torso and pulled me closer, nibbling on my earlobe. "I love you," he said.

I let my body meld into his and savored the feeling of his lips on my neck. I turned around and kissed him fiercely, taking his lower lip between my teeth and biting gently. He wiggled closer and I could feel that he was hard. It was almost second nature at this point, the teasing, the playful touching with curious hands. I was not a virgin, but Kid was. I didn't want to push him anywhere he wasn't ready to go.

That night, we went there. Kid was gentle and cautious; I was brash and reckless. He kissed my neck; I bit his. He laced his fingers through my hair; I scraped my fingernails down his back. It might have been prudent to hold off a little bit that first time, but Kid's face kept egging me on, showing me without spoken words that he liked what I was doing. So I kept doing it.

I came first and clamped my teeth down on the fleshy bit of his neck, and that sent him over the edge. I sat up on his lap and looked down at him, admiring his form. He had one large bruise on one side of his neck. I bent down and bit the other side, too, so that everything was symmetrical.

Then I rolled off him and began to fall asleep. The last thing I remember before I fell asleep is Kid's lust-filled voice whispering in my ear, "You're a vicious girl, Em". I grinned at that before I nodded off completely.

The next day, Professor Stein decided it was time for an experiment.

"Who here can resonate souls with their partner? Maka's hand shot up immediately, along with Soul's. Kid, Liz, and Patti raised their hands. A few other students, all of them at the very top of the class, raised theirs too. Many students, I among them, did not.

"Good," Professor Stein said. "That's what we'll work on today. Pair up with your partner and spread out."

I sat in my seat. Kid spared me a glance before he joined up with Liz and Patti. I smiled weakly at him. Of course, I was the only one in the room without a partner.

I sat watching for a moment, before Professor Stein came up to me.

"You don't have a partner, Emily."

"No, professor. I can't resonate with anyone."

"I don't believe that."

"It's true, professor, I've tried."

The truth was, I hadn't tried. But I feared what might happen if I did. My witch's soul was locked away, but my weapon's soul wasn't strong enough at all to resonate. And anyone who tried to resonate with me would surely notice that my soul was fractured. I couldn't risk that.

Professor Stein left me alone then, and watched the rest of the class attempt to resonate. Some, who had never gotten it before, succeeded. I was happy for them, but I was jealous too. I felt cheated out of my own life. I had to lie about who I was in order to join the Academy, and I would never be able to participate in many practices like this, because of who I was. Why should I have even bothered with the Academy? All I got out of it was stress and fear.

After class, Professor Stein asked me to stay behind. Kid paused for a moment to wait for me, but I told him I'd catch up with him. Reluctantly, he left.

"Emily, I would really like to try to resonate with you. I believe it can be done, as long as your partner is strong enough."

"Professor I appreciate your concern but I really don't—"

"You're a weapon at the Academy, Emily. You're going to have to learn how to resonate."

"I can't, Professor. Not now. I really, really can't."

"Emily, I'm not going to laugh at you if you can't do it."

"I'm not worried about you laughing, Professor."

"What are you worried about, then? Failing?"

"Something like that," I muttered.

"I won't tell anyone if you fail, either."

I took a deep breath. He wasn't going to let me off. This was it. He would see my fractured soul, and if he didn't figure it out himself, he would raise questions that I wouldn't be able to answer. There was no getting out of it.

"Professor, please, whatever happens…" How could I warn him without telling him I was a witch?

"Emily, everything that happens in this room will remain between you and me."

"Do you promise, Professor?"

He nodded.

"Alright," I said, "let's go."

I shut my eyes and reached my weakened, fractured soul out to Professor Stein's much stronger one. I felt my witch's soul, locked away in the box, struggling to get out. Professor Stein, realizing how fractured my soul was, pulled away immediately.

"Where's the rest of it?" he asked.

"It's… I had to hide it."

"Let me see, then."

"I can't, Professor. I can't bring it out. I had to hide it."

"Why? Tell me, I'll keep your secret."

"I can't say it, Professor."

He leaned back on his desk, clearly disappointed. "If that's how you feel, Emily. But the world isn't against you."

"It is this time, Professor."

"I highly doubt that."

"Professor, you don't know."

"Let's go outside."

We went out to the roof. Most students were in class, and if they weren't there were in the library studying. We were alone on the roof, and I actually felt at-ease for the first time since I'd been at the Academy.

Professor Stein pulled his glasses off and began to polish them on his shirt, then he replaced them. He looked like he was about to speak, then he lit up a cigarette.

"Do you smoke?" he asked, offering me one.

I took it, thanking him. We sat there in silence for a while, but it wasn't an awkward silence. It was comfortable. I felt relaxed around the professor.

"Emily, do you know how a Kishin is born?"

"A Kishin, sir? A human soul is corrupted when it consumes innocent souls."

"Wrong. A Kishin egg is a corrupted soul, yes, but it is rarely a human soul that was corrupted. And it's not only consuming souls that will create a Kishin. Do you know what happens when someone consumes a soul?"

I hesitated to answer, so he continued.

"Souls have power. If someone consumes a soul, they gain that power. Weapons and meisters have the power to retrieve a soul. Human's don't, so they can't become Kishins."

He paused, presumably to let this information sink in, but I knew all of this already, so I just nodded.

"It's power that corrupts souls, Emily."

I nodded.

"So tell me this. Why are witches evil?"

I chose my words carefully. "I don't know that they are, Professor. Most witches have human parents, don't they?"

"Very good. Witches aren't born evil. Most of them become so when their powers begin to emerge."

"And that's what corrupts them."

"Exactly. So if a witch never uses her powers… If, say, she keeps her soul hidden, locked away in a box somewhere inside her…" He looked me straight in the eye, but I refused to let my surprise show.

"I'm a weapon, Professor."

"I saw your box, Emily. Don't lie to me."

I fell silent, turning my attention back to my cigarette. Professor Stein did the same.

"So," I said, stubbing out the end of my cigarette, "if I never use my powers, I'll be fine. If I hide who I am from everyone I know, if I lie to all of my friends and everyone who loves me, if I life my life hidden, keeping secrets from the entire world, you think I'll be fine?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all. Think about it this way. How many times have you been so angry you wanted to hurt something?"

I shrunk away from his gaze.

"It's alright, Emily, everyone feels like that. How many times have you heard a friend say 'I hate my parents', or 'such-and-such a teacher', or 'so-and-so rival at school'?"

"I've heard that a lot. I've said it too, but I don't anymore."

"That's right, you grew out of it. You're past the danger phase, the time in your life where the injustice of the world begins to rear it's ugly head, but you're not so wise yet as to understand that all things pass. That time of your life was about instant gratification, seeking revenge on those who wronged you. Had you the power, you could have done serious, irreversible harm to anyone who hurt you. But you didn't have the power, did you? It was locked away in that box, just like it is now, and you never used it. And now that time of your life is past."

He lit up another cigarette and offered one to me, which I took graciously, if only so I could have something to do with my hands.

"I still have that power though, and people will always hurt me. I can't ever use it, or I will be corrupted."

"That's not true, Emily. After all, I'm a meister. I could grab a weapon right now, kill you, and eat your soul. Weapons and meisters don't start showing their abilities until they're much older, around fifteen or sixteen. And at that point, they have much more self-control than a ten-year-old witch does. You always have a choice, Emily. You can use your powers for good, or you can use them for evil. But I suggest you do use them, eventually. If you leave your soul locked up for too long, it might try to force its way out, and you won't be able to control it when that happens."

"If I unlock my soul, though, I'll get thrown out of the Academy."

"Did you listen to anything I said? You're not evil. Anyone would agree with that."

"But… people are prejudiced against witches. Anyone who finds out will immediately assume the worst."

"Then we'll just have to change those prejudices, won't we?"

"I don't think it's that simple, Professor."

"No," he said, taking a deep drag on his cigarette. "It isn't."

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**A.N. She has a name now, aren't you all proud of me? I've got chapter three finished, but I'm working on a screenplay for class. I'll probably upload three tomorrow, and if I don't have four at least mostly done by then, I'll let you guys know when my deadline is so I don't keep you waiting forever.**

I still have no idea how long this is going to be, but it looks like it's going to end up being at least five chapters.

**If you have the time, I appreciate reviews, just so I know what you think, or if you have suggestions for how later chapters should go. I love you all!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N. I know this isn't due until tomorrow night but I got impatient so I'm posting it now. 4 and 5 are done and they'll probably both go up tomorrow, 4 in the morning and 5 at night. Enjoy!**

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That night I slept fitfully. I kept having nightmares, voices in the distance only half-heard, but what they were saying I couldn't understand. I woke up several times in a sweat, only to fall back into another dream, more terrible than the last. Finally, when I fell back asleep for the last time, I fell into a room. Looking around I realized it must be Kid's room. I was standing by the bed, watching him sleep. I reached out a hand to touch him, but he rolled away out of reach. I tried to move closer but I couldn't bring myself to. I let my hand drop. Then I heard a noise behind me, like something shifting very subtly. I spun around.

I had come to the Academy after Asura and his madness were defeated, so I had never seen him first-hand. I had seen pictures, though, artist's representations of first-hand accounts. His lank, black hair lying limp over his eyes with those unnatural pupils.

Asura was standing behind me, our noses about a foot apart. I almost shrieked, but I didn't want to wake Kid. Asura tilted his head to the side and studied me. Then he smiled the way a mother would. He had a kind face, really, and I couldn't understand why so many people were afraid of him.

He pressed his finger to his lips then gestured at Kid. I nodded. _Best not to wake him._ I followed Asura over to Kid's desk, where a box I recognized very well was sitting. Asura picked it up and held it out to me. My soul was in that box. My witch's soul. I couldn't let it out, but Asura wanted me to. I shook my head at him. He frowned at me and held his hands out for the box. I clutched it tighter to my chest.

_Give it to me,_ he commanded.

_I can't. If we open it, it might wake Kid. He can perceive souls. You told me not to wake him up._

_You don't belong here. You belong with me, with other witches. Your own kind. Open the box and come with me._

_No,_ I said, and turned on my heel to walk away. I reached the door but suddenly I wasn't holding the box anymore. I turned back and saw that Asura had it, and was fitting a key into the lock. He turned it slowly, and just as I screamed "No!" it sprung open.

I woke up to a pair of guns pointed at my head. I followed the barrels up a pair of bare arms, across shoulders, and up to Kid's face. His mouth was set in an angry line and his eyes showed no hint of remorse at holding his girlfriend at gunpoint. I tried to sit up but he pressed the barrels into my chest and held me down.

"Kid," I started, but he interrupted me.

"What are you?" he asked.

"I'm Emma, Kid, I'm who I've always been."

He shook his head at me slowly. Too late I realized that something was off inside of me. Asura really had unlocked my box, and my soul was out. Kid could sense it. Tears sprung to my eyes but I blinked them back, quickly stuffing my soul back into the box and shutting it away.

"You can't hide, witch. I know what you are," he said, moving the guns back up to my head.

"I know, Kid. But I can't use spells when my soul is protected like this. You know that. Just let me leave. I've never done anything to hurt you. Just let me go, please."

"And where will you run to?"

I was shocked that he was showing any concern for me, but stupidly, I answered. "I'll go to Maka and Soul's house. I'm sure they'll let me stay there for the night."

He shook his head at me. "That's not far enough for me."

My heart sunk. He didn't want me gone, he wanted me _gone_, out of the city at the very least. I shook my head. "Why, Kid?"

"You're a witch," he spat.

"I haven't done anything wrong!"

"You're a witch," he said again, more softly. I thought I heard a hint of regret.

"It's not your fault, Kid."

He smacked me with the barrel of one of the guns. "Get out of here," he said.

I scrambled to find my clothes and get dressed, all the while with two guns pointed at my head. I walked to the door as fast as I dared. I didn't want Kid to see me cry. I hurriedly packed my belongings in a duffel bag, then made for the door. At the last moment, he called me back. After I took a moment to scrub at my eyes angrily, I turned around.

"You have one month, Emily, and I'll keep a very close eye on you. A month should be plenty of time for you to make whatever excuses you feel you must. Tell the rest of the students whatever you want to save your dignity. I'll tell them the truth when you're gone anyway. If you try anything, you'll be dead."

One month. I nodded, then turned on my heel and left.

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**A.N. I'm way ahead right now. I'm seriously already working on chapter 7... Keep reading, and please review if you haven't already!**


	4. Chapter 4

I didn't know where I was going. I started out heading for Maka's house, but I didn't know what I would say to her. I couldn't tell her the truth about why Kid threw me out, and I was an awful liar, so that was out too. So I kept walking aimlessly, turning down alleys and taking back streets I had never seen before. After a little while it began to rain, gently at first, but growing steadily heavier. I started looking for a place to stay the night, but I had no money. Eventually I realized I was lost. I sat down on the side of the road, soaked and freezing, and started to cry.

That's when Professor Stein found me.

I didn't notice him at first, because I had my face buried in my arms. I realized he was there when I heard the click of his lighter. I looked up and there he was, standing under an umbrella, looking down at me with a hint of amusement etched into his face. I smiled up at him, more relieved to see him than I was to have been found. He held out his hand to me and hoisted me up.

"You're shivering," he said.

"Yeah, I'm kind of soaked…" My anger and sadness had receded to a dull ache in the back of my mind, and I started feeling uncannily good humored.

"Here," Professor Stein said, offering me his lab-coat.

I took it gratefully and wrapped myself in it. It was warm, and smelled faintly of cigarette smoke. There was something else too, a smell I couldn't place, a residue of Professor Stein's natural aroma that the coat had picked up naturally. I liked it. Professor Stein put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me in close under his umbrella. We began to walk back the way I had come.

"I assume I'm not taking you back to Kid's house?" Stein asked.

"Yeah… We sort of had a fight."

"Did he find out?"

I nodded.

"And he threw you out? I'll have to talk to him."

"No, please don't... I... I didn't tell him. He just found out. I think he's right to be mad. I couldn't explain. There was nothing I could say."

"What do you mean he just found out? What happened?"

"I had a dream. Asura came and unlocked my box, and then Kid woke me up with his weapons pointed at my head."

"So you undid your Soul Protect unconsciously?"

"I guess so. I didn't even know that could happen."

"Is that all that happened in your dream?"

"Well, no… Asura said something, too. He told me I don't belong here." I shuddered, remembering those eyes boring into my skull, seeing all my secrets.

We walked in silence for a few minutes. Professor Stein pulled out another cigarette and offered one to me, lighting it as we walked.

"You know that's not true, right?" he asked.

"Sorry?"

"You do belong here. You're not evil."

He sounded so worried, like I might just leave at any moment. I wondered briefly if I cared. It seemed to me that Professor Stein wanted me around, that he would be genuinely hurt if I left the Academy, or rather, if I left him. I realized that I didn't mind. It felt good to be wanted by someone who knew who I was, even if that person was an older man, one of my professors. I smiled sheepishly, even though he couldn't see it.

"Yeah, I know. I'm not going anywhere."

He let out a sigh of relief and I stopped walking, looking up at him. He turned to me, his face unreadable.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He looked down the street in the direction we had been walking. He seemed to make a decision then. "I was going to take you back to my place."

"Alright," I said impassively, even though inside I was glowing.

"Is that okay?" he asked.

"Yes, that's fine. I don't have anywhere else to go anyway."

We started walking again. We stayed silent for the rest of the walk back to his house, each consumed in our own thoughts. I realized that I wanted him, more than I had ever wanted anyone. I had loved Kid, but he hadn't known who I really was. As soon as he found out, he left. But Professor Stein knew exactly who I was, and he seemed to only love me more for it. That thought filled me with hope. Students seemed to really like Professor Stein. He was young for his job, so they could relate to him. Maybe if he told them that witches aren't inherently bad, they would listen. Maybe everything would be okay.

Professor Stein unlocked his door and let me in first, coming in behind me and shutting the door before flicking the light switch on the wall. I surveyed the room as he walked past me, heading off into another room. I followed him into the kitchen and watched as he put a kettle of water on the stove to boil.

"I assume you've eaten," he said. "But I'm making some tea, if you want it."

"Actually yes, that sounds lovely, but I'd like to shower first if that's okay."

"That's fine, the bathroom is down the hall. There should be clean towels under the sink."

"Thanks," I said. Clutching my duffle bag to my chest I made my way to the bathroom. I turned on the shower and let the steam heat up the room before peeling off my soaked clothes. I hung Professor Stein's lab-coat on the door, but left my own clothes in a pile in the corner.

I sat in the shower for a long time, letting the warmth seep back into my bones. I quickly washed my hair and body using what I found in the bathroom. It made me feel sneaky, using Professor Stein's shampoo and soap.

After I was clean I wrapped myself in a shower and unzipped my duffel bag, looking for pajamas. The rain had soaked my duffel bag, and my clothes were all damp. I cursed. I would have to ask to borrow some clothes. But I realized that meant I would have to step out into the professor's house without any clothes on. I considered wrapping myself in his lab-coat, rather than a towel, but somehow that felt worse than just accepting that I had no clothes, so I tucked my towel tightly around my body and ventured out of the bathroom.

Professor Stein wasn't in the kitchen or the living room. I walked back towards the bathroom and noticed that the door across the hall was ajar. I pushed it open gently, calling for the professor as I did.

He was on the other side of the room, changing. He wasn't wearing a shirt and his baggy sweatpants were hanging off his hips in a way that made my legs involuntarily clench together.

"Sorry," I muttered. "I just, um…" I looked away so I could concentrate on what I was saying. "My clothes got wet and I was wondering if I could borrow something to wear to sleep."

"Of course," he said, rifling through his closet before he found a pair of cotton shorts and a baggy shirt. He looked much more confident than I felt, striding around his room in front of me, shirtless. But at least he was wearing pants. I just had my towel, and my hair was still dripping, running down my back in rivulets that made me shudder. At least I think it was the wetness that made me shudder. It could have been the beautiful man striding toward me, offering his own clothes to me.

I took them and muttered my thanks, but when I turned to leave he stopped me. I turned back around and he caught my face in his hands. His eyes met mine, asking for permission. I moved my body in closer and lifted my face up to his, letting my lips part very slightly.

He took that as permission enough and kissed me hard. His eagerness surprised me and I moaned into the kiss, which only caused him to kiss me harder. His arms moved around to my back to hold me in place and I let my finger entangle themselves in his hair.

He pulled away and smiled at me, and I grinned back like a fool.

"I love you, Emily. I don't know why, but I do."

I laughed. "I don't know why either, Professor, but I'm glad. And I love you too," I added, bringing my hands around to caress his face.

"Maybe you should call me Stein, at lease while we're away from school."

My heart fluttered. _Stein_. I let the name bounce around in my head for a moment. No more _Professor_, only _Stein_. "Alright, Stein."

"The water I put on for tea is ready. What kind would you like?"

"Do you have anything fruity?"

"I think I have some peach black tea."

"That sounds perfect."

"Alright. I'll go make it. You can change here. Come out when you're ready." He kissed me gently before he left, closing the door behind me.

I listened to his footsteps fade back to the kitchen. When I was sure he was out of earshot I let out a squeal. I changed quickly and braided my hair before walking out to the kitchen. Stein (_Stein_) handed me a mug of tea and guided me to the table. He brought out some crackers and set them on a plate between us. We drank our tea and ate the crackers, and when we were finished I followed him to his room.

He sat down on the edge of his bed and held his arms out to me. I sat on his lap, my legs on either side of his hips. He put his hands on the small of my back and peered up at me. I slowly took his glasses and set them on the bedside table, then I pushed him down by his shoulders and kissed him deeply.

I heard him moan and felt his hips buck up into mine. I rolled off and crawled farther onto the bed, pulling him over so he was above me. He sat back on his heels and ran his hands down my thighs. I sighed and put my hands on top of his, stopping him.

"I'm sorry, Stein, but I'm very worn out. It's been a long night."

He grinned at me. "Of course. It's late." He looked at the clock on the wall, which read 2:30. "Or early," he corrected. "Whatever the case, you have school tomorrow."

"You do too," I complained, and he laughed.

"Yes, I do. So we both should get to bed."

I nodded and moved over so he had room to lie down, then curled up next to him, breathing in his scent. He kissed the top of my head and stroked my waist. That's the last I remember before I fell asleep.

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**A.N. Oops that was way longer than I had meant it to be... Anyway, I just wanted to mention that I always assumed the Academy is college, so the students are all 18-22. I also picture Stein as pretty young, like 25 maybe. So, yeah, awkward relationship, but not ****_as_**** awkward as it could be...**


	5. Chapter 5

Stein was gone when I woke up, but he had washed my clothes sometime before I woke up and left them folded on top of the table in the living room. I smiled at that, and continued on to the kitchen looking for something to eat. There was a pile of scones on the table, along with a mug of tea, a brown paper bag, and a note.

_Em,_

_I washed your clothes and dried them. The scones aren't homemade, but they're pretty good. Your tea might be cool by the time you get this, so you can heat it up in the microwave. I packed you a lunch, that's in the bag. I drew a map from my house to the Academy on the back of this note. There's an umbrella in the hall closet in case it's still raining when you leave. Even if it isn't, you should take it anyway just in case. I left a spare key on my bedside table. Take it with you and lock the door on your way out._

_See you in class._

_Love, Stein_

I folded the note up and went to get dressed. I tucked the note in my back pocket, transferred the tea to a travel mug I found, grabbed a scone and my lunch, and headed out.

I checked the map when I got out the door. Stein's house was marked with the word "you", and he had marked the Academy with the word "me" and a little heart. It was immensely dorky, but it warmed my heart anyway. It proved to me that last night wasn't a fluke, proved that Stein really wanted me— really loved me. With that, I set off.

I stopped at a drug store on the way and bought a pack of cigarettes. I owed Stein several from the day before.

I didn't have time to check on him before my first class, so I didn't see him at all that morning. As the minutes approached lunchtime, I remembered why I had gone to Stein's house. I grew apprehensive as I realized that I would have to see Kid at lunch. I knew that if I wasn't at the table with everyone else, they would ask him why I was gone. He had promised me a month, but that might not stop him from telling the other students what had happened, and they hadn't promised me anything.

The bell rang for lunch and I sped out of the classroom, determined to reach the cafeteria before Kid did so he had no time alone with the others. It occurred to me that he could already have seen them today, that he could already have told them everything, but that thought only made my determination greater. Maka, Soul, Black Star, and Tsubaki were all there already, but Kid and his weapons were nowhere to be seen. I walked over awkwardly and sat down, but their greetings gave me no reason to think Kid had revealed anything. I relaxed and opened my lunch.

There was another note in it. The others were engrossed in their conversation, so I pulled it out and held it in my lap, reading it.

_Em,_

_If you haven't seen Kid yet today, you will at lunch. If he tries to cause any trouble, remember what I told you. You're not corrupt. Oh, and I love you._

_Stein_

"What're you reading?" Soul asked.

I jumped. "It's nothing. It's my shopping list. I had lost it."

Soul gave me a look that told me he didn't believe a word I said—understandable, given my capacity for lying—but he didn't push it. When he turned back to the conversation I looked back at the note and let a small smile creep onto my face. _Oh, and I love you too, Stein._ I thought.

"What are you grinning about?" Kid's voice didn't sound as harsh as it had last night. I looked up, hoping to see something forgiving on his face, something kind, something that proved to me he didn't hate me as much as I thought.

What I saw was worse. There wasn't even hatred in his eyes, just a cold disinterest.

"Nothing," I muttered.

He sat down at the other end of the table.

"What's up with you guys," Liz asked, rather insensitively.

Kid met my pleading gaze, and I saw him soften a little.

"We had a fight," he said simply.

Everyone stared at him incredulously, but he refused to look anyone in the eye, staring down at his food instead. When they saw they weren't getting any more information out of him they turned to me, but I let them down too, looking out across the cafeteria to where Stein was sitting. I was a little surprised to see that he was watching me carefully, but I remembered the note he had packed into my lunch. Of course he would be watching out for me. I gave him a slight nod and he returned it before turning back to the other teachers at his table. I saw Maka look over her shoulder trying to identify what I was looking at, but Stein was all the way across the room and she gave up.

The rest of the meal passed in relative awkwardness, but no one said anything else about what happened between Kid and I. When the first bell rang I got up to leave as quickly as I could, but I felt a hand grab my wrist and yank me around. I found myself face-to-face with Kid, caught in a stare-down that I was too frightened to win.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

I began desperately searching the room for Stein, but he wasn't at the teachers' table anymore. Kid jerked on my arm again, demanding my attention.

"That hurts," I said, sounding whinier than I would have liked.

"You think I care, witch?"

I looked around frantically, praying that no one had heard him. Thankfully, no one seemed to have noticed.

"Let go of me," I said in a tone that—finally—demanded his respect.

He dropped my arm and took a step back.

"If you try anything—"

"—You would see it coming a mile away, I promise."

He looked as if he hadn't realized that I would have to remove my Soul Protect before using any other spells, and as soon as that was gone, he would know it.

"Leave me alone, Kid." I started to walk past him but he stopped me with his hands on my shoulders.

"I want you gone," he said, his voice making it a threat.

"You said I have a month, Kid, and I intend to take my sweet time. Believe it or not, I like it here."

"I don't care what I said. I want you out of this school. I want you out of this city. I want you gone."

"Unfortunately," came an achingly familiar voice from behind me, "you don't have that authority."

I spun around to face Stein, who was glaring past me down at Kid, whose bravado was withering under the scientist's fierce glare.

"You're right, Professor, I don't," he said, then spun on his heel and left, leaving me to consider the subtext of his words.

_You're right,_ he had said. _You're right, _I _don't._ It hit me like a wave and I almost fainted.

"He's going to Lord Death," I said, wanting to cry.

"I know," Stein said, sounding way too nonchalant for the situation. "He'll be late for class, won't he?"

Stein put his hand on my shoulder and began to steer me from the cafeteria and towards his classroom.

"Stei—Professor, please, stop him."

"Why? He can't do any damage."

"But Lord Death can! If he finds out from Kid first—"

Stein was staring ahead, a grin plastered on his face.

"You told him," I whispered.

"Of course," he said.

I shoved him off me. "How could you? You promised to keep it a secret!"

"Emily, he was bound to find out anyway. It's better he heard it from me first."

He was right, of course, but I couldn't help the feeling of betrayal that washed over me. "You should have told me first."

"You're right," he conceded. "I'm sorry. But I was afraid of what Kid would do. It was imperative that I reached him first. You understand, don't you?"

I nodded. "I'm sorry I pushed you."

Stein glanced down the hallway in either direction, making sure no one was watching, then pulled my chin up with one hand and kissed me gently. "I forgive you," he said. "Now let's get to class."

* * *

**A.N. I promise this story has a plot. I'll find it eventually... I'm just trying to avoid turning this into a metaphor for being gay... If Emily starts "coming out" as a witch I'll never forgive myself. There are already too many gay metaphors.**


	6. Chapter 6

It was pouring again when class got out that afternoon. I had the last hour free, so I had been in the library. I walked down the halls to Stein's classroom. I had forgotten to take an umbrella that morning, even though he had warned me I might need it. I rounded the last corner just in time to see Kid storming into the room, leaving Liz and Patti outside to wait. I groaned and walked the rest of the way to the door, trying to decide if it was worth it to follow him in and ask Stein if he was ready to go just to see the look on Kid's face when he realized we were living together. I decided against it, knowing at this point it would probably be better to let the wound heal, rather than pick at it.

Besides, once I saw Liz and Patti, I knew I had bigger problems. Liz looked like she had just eater three-week-old meatloaf and was trying to pretend like it was gumdrops and candy-canes, but Patti wasn't even trying to hide her shock. I knew with one glance that Kid had told them.

"He lied," I said, before either of them could speak.

"Who lied? About what? I don't know what you're talking about." Liz's over-exaggerated confusion only fed my belief in what I already knew.

"Oh, so you aren't a witch then?" Patti said. "Because that's what Kid said. He told us you're a witch."

"Patti!" Liz screeched.

"What? You don't remember? Kid said that last night he saw—"

"Stop it, Patti," I said. "Yes, I'm a witch, but Kid's wrong. I'm not… bad. I don't really…"

"Of course you're not bad, silly!" Patty piped up.

"Patti…" Liz warned, then she turned to me. "What do you mean you're not bad? Kid just told us you could kill us all and now you show up… How can I trust you?"

"Stei—Professor Stein can explain it better, but… It's like, witches only become evil when they use their powers evil things. I guess when they start getting their powers, a lot of them kill their friends and family when they get angry, so their souls turn into Kishin eggs. But my soul's always been hidden, so I've never used my power. Professor Stein says I'm past the point in my life when I'll be most rash, so I'm safe now. He thinks I can use my powers without them corrupting me."

"I thought only weapon and meister souls can become Kishin eggs," Liz said. Patti had tuned out and was spinning in circles, dangerously close to colliding with a wall. I ignored her.

"I did too, but it makes sense. It explains why I'm not trying to kill anyone, doesn't it?"

"I guess…" Liz said uncertainly.

That moment the door to Stein's classroom flew open and Kid stormed out. He came straight for me and pinned me up against the wall, hard.

"What did you do to him?" His voice was low, but it sounded murderous. "What did you fucking do?"

I could only shake my head at him, uncomprehending.

"Liz, Patti," he called.

"Right," Patti said before transforming and flying into Kid's hand. Liz hesitated, though. It was only a moment's hesitation, but it was long enough that the unevenness of having a weapon in one hand got to Kid, and he threw Patti up in the air, letting her turn back. He moved one hand to my throat, keeping me still, then turned his deadly gaze on Liz.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Liz? I need both of you, you know that."

"Kid, I don't like this."

"What do you mean you don't like this?" he spat.

"I don't think she's bad. This whole time, she hasn't done one thing to try and fight back. Why? She doesn't want to hurt you, Kid. She doesn't want to hurt anyone."

Kid growled and twisted around, taking me with him, and shoved me to the ground in the middle of the hallway. I fell hard and hit my head on the tile. Groaning, I tried to sit up, but Kid was faster and he straddled me, sitting his full weight down on my stomach.

"You jinxed them."

"You're wrong, Kid," I said.

"Fuck you I'm wrong. What other explanation is there? You're a witch, that means you're evil. But somehow everyone's on your side. You're going to destroy the Academy from the inside out. After all, you've even got _my father_ on your side. If _he's_ sympathetic to your cause, you'll have this place flooded with witches in a matter of weeks."

"How could I have jinxed your father, Kid? I never spoke to him."

"Why should I believe that?"

"Ask him," I challenged.

He faltered at that.

"I used to love you," I said, incredulous. Then I heard the door open behind me and Kid stood up and walked away, Patti following in his immediate wake. Liz paused to help me up.

"Thanks," I said. "That was brave."

"He'll come around," she said. "I'll try to keep him from doing too much damage until then."

"I'm afraid that might not be enough," Stein said.

"Then I'll do what I can. I have to go."

We watched Liz walk away. I managed to hold off until she rounded the corner, but as soon as she was gone I spun around into Stein's arms and began to sob. He stroked my hair and soothed me by whispering in my ear. When I had calmed down he took my face in his hands and held me at arm's length, studying me. I felt sheepish under his gaze, like I had somehow failed a minute ago. I hated it that I relied on Stein to fight my battles for me, but I'd never been good at standing up for myself.

Wordlessly Stein slipped his hand into mine and led me out of the building.


	7. Chapter 7

We walked back to Stein's house in the rain. We shared his umbrella again, but the rain was coming down so hard that it almost didn't matter. Our feet were sodden from splashing through puddles and the wind blew hard enough that our pants were soaked through and sticking to our legs.

Rain is a funny thing. It messes with your mood. If you're in a bad mood like I was, it can make everything that much worse. If you're happy, rain can be enjoyable. It works in the opposite way, too, souring good humor and lightening up despondent situations. By the time we made it inside we were soaked through, but we were also giddy. Every little thing struck me as hilarious.

We stood in the entryway, panting and giggling, trying to catch our breath. Stein turned around and looked out the window at the storm.

"Fuck it," he said, pulling out a cigarette that had somehow managed to remain dry through the walk home. I pulled mine out too and followed him out onto the porch.

The wind blew sheets of rain under the overhang at us and we had to turn our backs to the storm to keep our cigarettes from getting too wet to burn. We were cold and wet and we should have been miserable, but I couldn't bring myself to be upset, no matter how hard I tried. I was with Stein and he was going to look after me. That was all I needed to know.

Stein came to stand in front of me, blocking the wind and rain with his back, so we could smoke facing each other. He grinned at me, and in the dim light cast by the porch lamp, he looked almost sinister. It made me chuckle. He put his arms around my waist and lifted me up onto his hips, holding me up with his arms crossed under my legs. I threw my arms around his shoulders and kissed him hard, tasting the smoke on his mouth and smelling his beautiful Stein smell.

I took another drag on my cigarette and blew the smoke out into his face. He turned away from it laughing, then kissed me harder. He pitched the butt of his cigarette off the edge of the porch and I did the same, then he opened the door and carried me back inside. We were both dripping wet, but he ignored this fact and carried me straight through his house, trailing water everywhere. He didn't put me down until we had reached the bathroom. He set me down on the vanity counter, then turned on the shower and let the steam heat up the room.

"I love you," he said to me, then began helping me out of me clothes.

We stepped into the shower together; there was plenty of room for both of us. Strangely, I felt embarrassed, like I had that first time I had seen him without his shirt. He had such nicely toned muscles, but I never got to see them while he was wearing a lab-coat, which was often.

I pressed my body against him, more to hide my own insecurities than because I wanted the contact, but I let Stein think what he wanted to.

He put his arms around my waist and looked down at me. He looked so serene, so confident. I sighed. "I need you, Stein."

He buried his face in my neck. "Don't say that."

"It's true."

"It isn't."

"Stein, it is. I can't fight for myself."

"You don't have to fight."

"No, you do it for me."

He groaned in frustration and leaned back, looking down at me again. "Em, you don't need to fight alone. You just need people on your side, people who get it, and you have that."

"Yeah, Stein, I have you on my side. And I have Lord Death on my side, _thanks_ to you."

"What about Liz? It sounded to me like she was on your side. I heard what you said to her today. That wasn't me, Em, that was all you."

"Sure, I'm the one who said it, but everything I said came from you."

"So I armed you with information, but you have that all now, and you can use it. You don't need me."

Of course he was right. He was always right. I had spent my whole life hiding from my powers, running from fights because I was too scared to win them. But I had other powers now. I had knowledge, something Kid didn't have. And I had enough of it to beat him.

"Okay Stein, you're right. I don't need you. But I want you." I ground my hips forward and sunk my teeth into the soft skin at the nape of his neck. He groaned in response and arched his hips forward, begging for me.

The shower was big enough, so I pushed him to the floor and straddled him, coming down on his hips slowly so that he found my entrance and sunk in. He moaned and sunk his fingers into my thighs. I began rocking and his breath hitched. He arched his back and thrust up into me, hard. I cried out.

"Stein, please be gentle."

"Sorry," he said breathlessly.

I leaned forward so I could move my hips better, and so I could reach his mouth. It felt oddly satisfying to render him helpless, so see someone who was usually so strong wither under my body. I felt his end coming before I heard it, in the way his hands clenched and his gut stiffened, all his muscles contracting in expectation of what was to come.

And when it came, it hit us both hard. He let out a sound somewhere between a groan and a growl and I whimpered, moaning out his name quietly. He pulled me down on top of him and kissed my neck and ears, nibbling gently here and there. We lay there for a long time, letting the shower pour over us, until our skin became so pruned that we had to get out.

I kept thinking about what Stein had said, that I had everything I needed to win this fight against Kid. I listened to Stein talk about his day as we ate dinner, but all the while I was thinking about what I had to do.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning I got up early and walked to the Academy with Stein, telling him my plan on the way.

"Well, I'll be in my class room if you need me," he said before we parted at the front doors of the building. I nodded and kissed him swiftly before watching him walk through the doors and out of sight. As soon as he was out of view, I felt panic creeping up on me. Whether or not I needed him, I drew strength from his presence. He had confidence in me, but his confidence only went so far. As soon as he was gone I had to rely on my own confidence, something I had little of.

Taking a deep breath I sat down at the top of the steps and refused to think about my task. If I didn't think about it until it was time to act, I could put myself on autopilot and the worst of it would be over before I had time to realize what I was doing.

So when Soul and Maka walked up the steps and Soul gave me his customary "hey" greeting, I said what I had to without thinking.

"I'm a witch," I blurted.

There was a pause, then Soul said, "I don't get it".

"It's like," I said, plowing forward as fast as I could before my panic crippled my voice, "witch's souls turn into Kishin eggs when their power starts corrupting them, but I've never used my powers, so I haven't been corrupted. Like, they kill their parents and stuff, but my soul's always been locked up, so when I was too young to understand right and wrong I couldn't do any damage, but now I know right and wrong so I'm safe."

The two if them stared at me blankly, uncomprehending.

"I'm good," I added lamely, trying to explain.

"You're a witch?" Maka repeated.

"Yes."

For a moment it looked as if they would try to kill me on the spot. I took slow, steadying breaths, trying to hold back the wave of anxiety that was threatening to crash over me, rendering me helpless. The two of them shared a look, then Soul's face broke into that wide, toothy grin of his and he flashed me a thumbs up.

"Cool," he said. And then he mounted the last of the steps and walked into the building.

Maka hung behind a moment, hesitating. I looked up at her, waiting, letting her make the decision to press it.

"So," she said finally, "we can trust you?"

"Absolutely," I said without hesitation.

She nodded slowly, then climbed the rest of the steps. She paused at the top and turned back.

"Does Kid know?"

My shoulders slumped. "Yes," I said regretfully.

"Is that why you two—"

"Yes," I said cutting her off.

"Well, Soul and I are on your side."

"Thank you, Maka," I said, and she grinned at me before running to catch up with Soul.

And that was it. It was so simple I could hardly believe it had happened at all. I still had a while until my first class, so I pulled out my cigarettes. As I lit it up I heard a voice that I had grown to dread.

"I didn't know you smoke."

"Yeah, well, recent events and all." I looked down at Kid who was standing a few stairs down from me, without either Liz or Patti. I felt a brief surge of guilt, knowing that if they had gotten into a fight it was because of me. Black Star and Tsubaki were a few steps behind him. When they got close enough, Tsubaki started to say something, but she stopped when she felt the tense atmosphere between Kid and I. It was Black Star who broke the silence.

"What is with you two, huh? It's kind of annoying. I can't keep up with your mood-swings. Why don't you guys just kiss and make up already? It's driving everyone up a wall."

Kid gave a derisive snort before walking away, calling over his shoulder as he left, "I just don't think you would understand, Black Star."

"Emily," Tsubaki said gently. "Are you okay?"

"Actually, can I tell you guys something? It's something… Well, when Kid found out, he didn't like it very much. But Maka and Soul know now, and I think they're okay with it."

I told them everything, just as I had with Maka and Soul, and Liz and Patti before them. When I finished Tsubaki looked worried, and she was clearly waiting for Black Star to make a decision, but he stayed silent too.

I had to break the tension. "I just really need some friends right now, and it would mean a lot to me to know that you trust me, even though I'm a witch."

Black Star grinned menacingly. "Of course we can trust you! Cuz if you try anything, I'll just take you out; I'm Black Star, remember? You're still the same Emily we know, right? There's nothing different about you?"

I grinned. "Nope, still me."

"Well, come on then," Black Star said, hoisting me up by my forearms. "We'll be late for class."


	9. Chapter 9

A couple of times during lunch it looked as though someone would challenge Kid, which made me very uneasy. I had to be the one to speak to him, or else it would look like I was hiding behind my friends, which I almost was anyway, but Kid didn't have to know that. I wasn't ready to confront Kid just yet, but I knew I had to do it soon or someone else would do it for me.

I managed to run a sort of damage control. Whenever anyone was quiet too long, watching Kid or me, I did my best to make eye contact and shake my head, keeping them from sharing their thoughts.

Lunch ended and Kid got up to leave immediately, leaving the rest of us in such a hurry that we almost didn't notice he was gone. Liz and Patti did their best to keep up with him, leaving the rest of us to ponder the elephant in the room. We all knew it was because of me that Kid was acting this way. I can't say whether the rest of them blamed me, but I doubted it. Still, Kid had been so open with everyone else for so long that it was weird for them to see him so closed off. I think some of that confusion subsided after they found out about me, but all of them wanted to see the old Kid again. If I was being honest with myself, I did too, even if I doubted its possibility.

Somewhere along the lines Maka had filled Crona in, which annoyed me a little since this was supposed to be my fight. Still, he didn't seem to be too scared of me, and I was always bad at talking to him anyway, so I was grateful for her actions.

It must have really pissed Kid off to see me walk into class with the rest of the group like I did. He had expected them all to turn on me like he did, to follow him blindly because he was a reaper and reapers always knew what was best. I saw his confidence falter a little as the six of us took our seats, me right in the midst of all of them, instead of lonely on the outskirts as Kid had undoubtedly hoped I would be. It took all my effort not to make eye contact with him, because if I did I would probably smirk at him, and that wasn't the kind of thing I could do if I was trying to keep up my innocent martyr persona. Still, it felt good to see him taken down a peg.

"Good afternoon class," Stein called as he strolled in. I grinned at him and flashed him a discreet thumbs up and he let a slow smile creep onto his lips. "Tell me," he said, still addressing the class, "what do you know about Kishins?"

I had expected Maka's hand to shoot up into the air, but instead she looked uncertainly at me. Before I realized that she didn't know Stein was in on it, another student was answering.

"A Kishin is someone who has strayed from the path of righteousness onto one of evil instead." It was Ox, the second from the top of class, behind Maka.

"Someone," Stein repeated. "You mean anyone can become a Kishin?"

"No." This time it was Maka who spoke. "A human can't, because they don't have the power that's necessary. A soul becomes a Kishin egg when it's corrupted by power."

"Thank you, Maka, that's correct. But to be clear, you say a human soul can't become a Kishin egg. What souls do have the power, then?"

"All the rest," Maka said. "Weapons, meisters, and," she paused for a moment, deliberating. "And witches," she finished boldly.

"Wait," someone else said. "What does that mean? How can a witch become a Kishin? Aren't they already evil?"

Stein turned to the student who had spoken. "What do you know about witches?"

"Well, I know they're evil, I guess."

"Do you know how a witch is born?"

The student shook her head.

"Does anyone know how a witch is born?"

I touched Maka's leg gingerly, letting her know I didn't want her to do all the fighting. "Witches are born to human parents. A witch's soul can't be passed on through a bloodline. Instead, they latch onto weak souls—human souls—and take over, turning the human baby into a witch."

Stein was careful not to hold my gaze when he asked, "So are all witches evil?"

I didn't speak, aware that Kid was shooting me a glare that would whither even the bravest soul.

"They can't be," Soul said. "They don't even have powers when they're born, right? Their powers manifest when they're, what, three or four?"

"Correct," Stein said.

"So their powers might corrupt them later in life, but before they have their powers, they can't be evil."

"Professor Stein," another student called. "How can we be sure of all of this? Is there any proof?"

"That's a difficult question. We have some books in the library that touch on the subject of young witches. Although none of them go in depth, they all seem to suggest that there are several known cases in which a young witch masked her power until he or she was old enough to handle the responsibility."

"But those are just rumors. I want to know if you yourself have ever seen with your own eyes an uncorrupt witch."

Stein hesitated for a moment. It was just long enough for me to make a decision on my own.

"I have," I said, standing up and ripping my Soul Protect of as I did so. A few of the students gasped, presumably the ones who could perceive souls. As soon as my Soul Protect was gone, Kid was up too, both of his guns pointed at my head.

"Don't you dare, Kid." With a flick of my wrists he lost control of his hands and Liz and Patti went flying across the classroom.

"Emily, stop." I heard Stein's warning as if from a great distance. But I knew I was too far gone now. If I fell back into submission now Kid would have beaten me again, and I couldn't stand that thought. I clenched my fists, letting my power radiate so it was clear who and what I was. I became aware of the color slowly draining from Kid's face. He was scared of me.

_Good,_ I thought. _It's about time he knows how wrong he was to underestimate me._

I heard muffled shouts in my ears but I couldn't make out what they were saying even if I wanted to. I had Kid's full attention now and I was going to make him see the truth.

I watched in confusion for a moment as Kid began to move. His hands came up to his throat, pulling at the collar of his shirt as if he were suffocating. I heard weak strangled sounds coming from his mouth, and suddenly I became fully aware of my surroundings.

Stein was shouting at me, most of the kids nearby had taken cover behind desks, Maka was behind me pulling at my arms, and Black Star was pushing past Tsubaki and Crona, walking towards me. And I was… I looked down at my hands, clenched into fists in front of my own chest. I looked at Kid, writhing on the floor now, scrabbling desperately at his throat, trying to suck in a breath.

All at once I realized what I was doing.

"God," I whispered, just when Black Star finally made it to me, put both his hands on my face and hit me with the full force of his soul wavelength.

Then everything went black.

* * *

**A.N. Oops... Silly Emily. Hope you guys are as excited for the last few chapters as I am!**


	10. Chapter 10

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Black Star's face grinning smugly down at me.

"Hiya," he said. Then, "Yo Professor Stein, she's awake!"

I tried to sit up by my head hurt too much. I groaned instead.

"Told you I'd take you out if you tried anything," Black Star said.

"Yeah, thanks Black Star." I didn't try explaining that I _hadn't_ tried anything, that it had all just happened on its own.

Black Star stepped aside and I saw Stein walking through the curtain that separated the beds in the infirmary from one another. His face was set in a grim line and I cringed, knowing I had disappointed him.

"I don't know what happened, Stein. I dropped my Soul Protect to show Kid I wasn't afraid of who I was, and then… It's like I couldn't control my own soul. I wasn't trying to hurt him, it just happened."

Stein sat down without saying anything. Black Star, sensing that there was something more going on between the two of us, exited silently. Stein put is face in his hands and began to shake. After a moment I realized he was crying.

"No, Stein—!" I tried to reach out and hold his hand but my head throbbed again with the effort. He came over to me instead, lifting my hand in both of his and kissing it gently.

"I'm so sorry, Emily. I should have seen this coming."

"You? Stein, you've been nothing but a savior to me since this all began. You've done so much for me. This isn't your fault."

"No, Emily, you're wrong. I didn't do everything I could. I had my suspicions that you might lose control of your power, but I didn't do anything about it."

"What could you have done, Stein?"

"I could have trained you. I could have at least tried to warn you—"

"But you did warn me, Stein. The first time we spoke you said if I keep my soul locked up for too long it might try to break out. I ignored your warning."

"Emily—"

"No, Stein, stop it. You can't blame yourself for this; I won't let you. It's my fault. You said it yourself, I don't need you to fight for me. I picked this fight. It was my decision, not yours, so what happened was my fault and I'm the one who has to deal with the consequences."

He started to speak several times but gave up, unable to find the right words. "Alright," he finally said, and kissed my hand again.

I let the moment pass before I spoke. "How's Kid?"

"He's stable." Something about the way Stein said it made me uneasy.

"What do you mean stable? Is he alright?"

"He hasn't woken up yet."

"Woken up? Stein, what happened?"

"He passed out just before you did."

"I didn't notice. Black Star must have been blocking my view. Oh God, he passed out. Is he going to be okay?"

"He's stable, Emily. He should be fine. I think he hit his head on his way down, so he might suffer a minor concussion. It's possible that he experiences minor memory loss specific to the moment of the impact, but it won't be anything too serious."

"Oh God, Stein, I have to see him."

"You can't stand up, Emily."

"I'll be fine," I said, and suddenly I was. One moment my head was throbbing, the next everything felt calm, if a little numb.

"I didn't know you could use your powers to do that," Stein muttered.

"Oh no, has my Soul Protect been off this whole time?"

"Yes, it has, and I think it should stay off. If you lock it up again, I'm afraid of what will happen the next time it gets out. Besides, there's no reason to keep yourself hidden anymore. Anyone within the city who can sense souls knows what you are now."

"Great," I said sarcastically.

"It's okay. Lord Death is still on your side, as well as the rest of the teachers. I've been running damage control. Kid did attack you first, since technically you weren't planning to attack when you stood up, right?"

"Stein, stop. Please. I don't want Kid to be turned into an enemy. It was a misunderstanding, that's all, and it got out of hand. I don't want you to try to fix this anymore. It's my responsibility. Now please, I really have to go see Kid."

"Alright, I'll take you to him."

We walked down the hallway to a separate room where Kid was staying. We passed by windows that looked out onto the city. It was surprisingly dark outside.

"Stein, what time is it?"

"It's almost seven o'clock," he said.

I'd been asleep for almost six hours. "Has everyone else gone home?"

"Yes. I stayed to look after you and Kid. Black Star offered to stay until one of you woke up, so that neither of you would wake up alone."

"You should go home, then."

Stein stopped in his tracks, his hand on the door to Kid's room.

"No," he said decisively.

"Stein, please. I can't let you fight for me anymore. I have to handle this on my own."

"I don't want you to get hurt, Emily."

"I can protect myself."

"That's what I'm worried about."

"Liz and Patti are gone, right? Kid has nothing to fight me with. I won't feel threatened by him."

Stein looked unconvinced.

"I'll be careful, Stein, I promise."

"Alright." He let go of the doorknob and turned to go. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. I slid my hands up to his shoulders and around to the back of his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. He moaned softly into my mouth, snaking his hands around my waist.

When I pulled away he said, "I love you, Emily."

"I love you too, Stein."

He gave me one last look, warning me to be careful, then turned around and walked down the hallway.

I watched him go, waiting until he was out of sight, then opened the door and walked in.

Kid was awake, sitting up in bed waiting for me.

* * *

**A. N. We're getting so close to the end! I'm going to miss this when it's done.**


	11. Chapter 11

"Uh, hey," I said, fidgeting uncomfortably by the doorway. "I just wanted to, um, make sure you're alright."

Kid scrutinized me under his gaze for a few very anxious moments. Then something broke on his face, and he nodded. "Sit down, Emily."

I did as he asked, perching on the edge of the chair near his bed, unable to relax in case he lashed out at me.

"Your Soul Protect is off," he noted.

"Yeah. Stei—_Professor_ Stein said it would be a good idea to keep it off. He thinks that if I keep my powers all bottled up then… Something bad could…" I let the end of my sentence trail off, aware of the fact that something bad had already happened, and Kid and I both knew about it.

"_Professor_ Stein, huh?"

"You heard what we said?"

"Yeah."

"It's just… He knew what to do this whole time. Whenever there was a problem, he could fix it. As soon as he found out what I was, he didn't turn away. He took me in. I really needed his support."

Kid just nodded.

"Listen, Kid, I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" he repeated, incredulous.

"I know it's not much after what I did to you but I just—"

"No, that's not what I mean. I should be the one apologizing. Stein talked to me when I woke up—"

"Wait, he said you weren't awake yet. You talked to him?"

"Yes. The last time he was in here, before Black Star called him back to you, I woke up, he told me about everything. How you've been struggling this whole week, how strong you've been."

"I wish he hadn't done that."

"Why? He did you a favor. Now you don't have to explain yourself."

"But I should. I don't want him to fight for me anymore. It's my life, I have to take control of it."

"I'm sure he only did it because he loves you."

"I… I know that. That's why I'm leaving him."

"You're leaving, just like that? After everything he's done for you?"

"But that's just it, Kid. Think of everything he's done for me, and what have I done for him? Nothing. I'm a dead weight to him. I can't help him with his own problems. I can barely keep up with him when he talks about his experiments. He's way out of my league. We're not equals. This relationship wasn't ever meant to last. Somehow, I think he knew that, though."

Kid took all this in without letting his face show what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have dumped all that on you," I said.

"It's alright. I'm glad you think you can trust me."

"I don't know if I can, but I really want to."

He nodded. "I'll try to earn it." He held out his hand to me and I took it. We just sat there for a while, neither of us saying anything, just thinking about everything that had happened and what we're going to do to pick up the pieces.

Kid was the one who broke the silence.

"Where are you going to stay?"

I hadn't thought about it. I shrugged.

"Well," he said timidly. "You could… If you want I mean…" He tugged on my hand and pulled me closer, so I was sitting on the edge of his bed. "I know I can't really offer you much, but I've learned so much from you. I'd really like it if… Could it be possible, I mean, for you to come back?" He said this last part so quietly that I was sure I had heard it wrong at first.

"You'd take me back?" I said.

"Only if you want to come back."

"Oh Kid," I said, thinking of everything he said to me, all the pain he'd caused me in the last few days. But the boy who had done that to me wasn't the same boy sitting in this bed with me. That boy was gone, replaced by one much kinder, much smarter, and much braver. This boy would love me unconditionally, I knew. And he was wrong. He had so much he could offer me. He had experience. I knew that if anyone stood in my way again, he could stand as a witness. He wouldn't fight for me as Stein had done. He would fight with me. He wouldn't guide me, he would forge the way with me. We would do everything we had to do together, because we were equals.

"Kid," I said finally. "Of course."

He sprung up and pushed me down onto the bed, laughing. I twined my hands into his hair and pulled him down into a deep kiss.

"I love you, Em. I love you, I love you, I love you." He kissed me between each of his proclamations, punctuating them with his proof.

"I love you too, Kid."

The bed wasn't big enough for both of us to sleep in, but I was comfortable enough in the chair. I fell asleep holding Kid's hand, scared and excited for what was to come.

* * *

**A.N. Just the epilogue is left, guys. I've really enjoyed writing this. Thanks so much for all the reviews and follows and whatnot. If you're going to miss Emily as much as I am, feel free to leave a suggestion for what kind of story I should write next! I always love suggestions.**


	12. Epilogue

"The first anniversary of the second defeat of the Kishin?"

"Just rolls off your tongue, doesn't it?"

"Who came up with that?"

"My father."

"Of course."

Kid and I were getting ready to go to a party celebrating the Academy's triumph over Asura exactly one year before. One week ago, Lord Death had let Kid and me in on his plans. I was going to be the guest of honor. I had a special announcement that the whole Academy was going to hear.

Funny enough, Kid was more nervous than I was.

"Is this tie alright?"

"Kid, all of your ties are black." I was at the mirror, tying on a bowtie. I stood with my hip cocked, one leg stuck out to the side, to see if Kid would notice that I wasn't standing symmetrically. He didn't. I was helping him get over his neuroses slowly, just one example of how we were helping each other.

He touched my lower back gently as he passed on his way to the bathroom, a simple sign of affection that made my heart flutter.

"Isn't the bowtie a bit much? Isn't the idea that people see you're, I don't know, normal?"

"I'm not normal, though. The idea is to make people see I don't care."

He gave a distracted "hmm" as he entered the bathroom to comb his hair for the third time. I followed him in and took the comb out of his hands.

"You look fine," I said, and he sighed helplessly.

"I'm just nervous."

"Don't be, Kid. This is for me to deal with. No one's even going to be looking at you."

"I wish you would let me stand with you while you make the announcement."

"Don't you get it? I don't need you to. I can do this alone."

"If you don't need me, what's the point of this?"

He got like this sometimes. Kid had a hard time believing that I wouldn't just up and leave. He didn't understand how I could trust him so easily after everything he put me though only a week before. But in a way I felt like I had almost deserved it. I had lied to him, after all, and nothing he did really harmed me anyway. It only made me stronger.

"Because, Kid," I said, taking his face in both my hands and looking him square in the eyes. "I _want_ you."

He smiled shyly. "I want you too, Emily."

"Ready to go?"

Kid studied his reflection one last time before sighing. "Yes. Let's do this."

The ballroom was packed when we walked in, but we found Maka, Soul, and the others easily. Maka hugged me tightly when she saw me, and Black Star slapped my back encouragingly.

"Guys," I said, "stop worrying about me. Everything's going to be okay."

"We know," Maka said. "You've got support." She gave Kid a meaningful glance as she said it, and he looked away uncomfortably.

We hadn't told everyone that we had gotten back together right away. Kid said he wanted to be sure that I wouldn't change my mind and run off, but I think he was just ashamed of how everything had ended before. Kid tended to dwell on the past, while I was always searching into the future. We balanced each other out.

Kid walked me over towards the front of the room.

"It's almost time," he said, looking around anxiously. "My dad will come find you when he's ready. Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

"Kid, everything's fine. Don't worry about me."

He gave up on trying to take care of me and finally smiled. "Yeah," he said. "You'll do fine."

He squeezed my hand once before turning away and disappearing into the crowd, leaving me to wait until Lord Death came to find me.

"Your bowtie's crooked," said a voice from behind me. I turned around to face Stein, who was looking uneasy around so many people.

"Fix it for me?" I said.

He reached over and straightened it, and I felt a pang of longing for him. I quickly brushed it aside, remembering the conversation we had the morning after I woke up in the infirmary.

"I understand," he had said as we stood out on the roof of the Academy smoking together, just as we had when it had all started. "You're strong enough to fight for yourself, and I'm just going to hold you back."

"It's not only that," I had told him, touching his arm gently. "You've helped me so much, but what can I do for you? You've got all your own problems to deal with that I just can't understand. You know, teaching…"

He chuckled. "It's true. I guess I'm just too smart for you."

"Hey," I had said, and I shoved him playfully.

"I'm only joking, but you're right. We're just not…"

"Equal?" I offered, and he had nodded.

"Yeah, equal."

"Don't worry, Stein, I'll never forget you."

He had kissed the top of my head then before stubbing out his cigarette out on the railing and walking away, leaving me alone on the rooftop with the whole city spread out beneath me.

Back in the present, he stepped away, and I reached up to touch my bowtie, making sure he hadn't messed it up just to be obnoxious.

"Thanks," I said.

"You're welcome."

We stopped there, neither of us sure of how to proceed.

"You and Kid are doing well, then?"

"Yeah, everything's fine."

"You haven't tried to choke him to death?"

"No," I said, laughing.

He nodded. "You're practicing, though?"

"I wish everyone would stop worrying about me. You, Kid, even Maka keeps looking at me like she expects me to snap and go off on a killing rampage. I'm fine, I promise."

"It's only because we care about you, Emily."

"I know, Stein. And yes, I'm practicing. I boiled water yesterday without using a stove. Kid was impressed."

Whatever Stein was about to say was cut off when Lord Death came up. "Alright, Emily, it's showtime! Are you ready?"

"Yes sir, I'm ready."

"Alright! Nice bowtie," he added.

"Thanks."

As Lord Death called for attention, Stein gave my shoulder a squeeze before backing away and joining the audience.

"We have a very special guest today, someone who I hope will be a very valuable asset in our ongoing crusade against the madness that will consume this world if we don't stop it. Please welcome Emily Black."

There was a round of applause, and through the noise I could make out the cheers of Kid, Stein, and all of my friends and allies. When the room quieted down I stepped up to take Lord Death's place.

"Everyone," I said, preparing to pull my Soul Protect off for the final time. "I have an announcement to make."

* * *

**A.N. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I'm so thankful for all the reviews I've received. Here's a special shout-out to Lialane Graest, who's been with me this whole time, offering support and encouragement along the way. I'm really sad that this story's over... I'm going to miss staying up until one in the morning to finish the next chapter. I hope you've all loved it!**

**If you have any suggestions for a story I could write, or any future adventures Emily might get herself in, please feel free to send them my way! I love writing so much.**

**I don't want to say goodbye, but I guess it's that time. Thanks again for all your love and support! I'll miss you guys so much!**

**Goodbye everyone!**

**~ g-r**


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